


You and I

by AlanaMechelleCruz



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2020-05-15 09:59:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19293415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlanaMechelleCruz/pseuds/AlanaMechelleCruz
Summary: To see all artwork and pictures for this story and upcoming stories please follow my Instagram @ashlynn_montgomery_ao3





	You and I

**Author's Note:**

> To see all artwork and pictures for this story and upcoming stories please follow my Instagram @ashlynn_montgomery_ao3

Quick Note: To see all artwork for this story and upcoming stories please follow my Instagram @ashlynn_montgomery_ao3

"I wish I could be there to see you graduate," the brunette whines through the phone. Her hair may have been brown like Papa's but her eyes were like Maman's. Her face and figure were slim and every inch of her was perfectly placed, not even a hair out of place.

 

"So do I," Bri said. While Naomi had brown hair and grey eyes, Bridgette had Maman's dark brown locks and Papa's green eyes. Sometimes I wonder how I got my blue bell eyes, but one look at Nana Cora reminded me every time. Another thing I had that my sisters didn't; freckles and a short yet curvy body. They both held a clean complexion with tall slim bodies and it was hard not to be jealous of my two older sisters.

 

"I wish you could be here too," I poured as my mother finished the two braids she was putting in my hair, which was down and curled for the first time since summer. "I hate having to keep you all a secret."

 

"Yes little sister we all know how much you loathe liars and I'm sure being one is so hard for you but just a bit longer? After Bri's wedding you can tell the whole world if you want to but keep in mind how much and who you tell," Naomi lectured. "Not everyone in the family wants to be outed and being at huge family events all together is risky enough. If any kind of reporter figured anything out we're all goners."

 

"Don't worry guys I know how important this is to everyone," I sighed out as i flopped down onto my bed. "I just can't wait for this whole thing to be over."

 

"Well don't think about it for now," Naomi said as she took the phone from Bridgette. "For now just hang up on us and go graduate! We're so damn proud of you little sis. When you get here we'll have to go out and celebrate properly."

 

"And by that she means shots with the gang," Bridgette yelled from her vanity. I couldn't help but laugh at her blunt phrasing."

 

"Okay, okay I've got to go," I said before waving. "I love you guys. I can't wait to go back home."

 

"And we can't wait to have you home," Bridgette said.

 

"Love you," Naomi shouted.

 

"Love you too, bye."

 

After ending the call and turning off my phone i took a moment to wipe the tears from my cheeks just as the hatch to my room burst open and my favorite cousin folded her arms under her chin followed by her boyfriend doing the same. He was the only person outside of the family that knew our secret.

 

"You ready to get going," Kagami asked as she took in my appearance. "Aunt Sabine's going to go crazy if you keep them waiting any longer. 

 

"Yeah I'm ready. Just let me grab my bag real quick."

 

"The melody has finally turned into a symphony."

 

"Quit with the musical word play Luka," I joked as I shoved him and Kagami down the hatch and followed after them into the doorway.

 

"Were those two runts making you cry with their overbearing love again," Kagami asked as we opened the door and started walking down the staircase to the bakery. "I swear no one is more lovey-dovey than a Dupain- Cheng."

 

"Oh give her a break babe," Luke sighed as he pulled her closer by his arm around her waist. "You'd be sad too if your sisters couldn't be there to watch you graduate."

 

"Well then it's a good thing I'm an only child."

 

the three of us laughed as we opened the doors to the bakery where everyone was waiting. Almost instantly I was jumped by Alya and my mother squeezing me to death. The only thing stopping them was h fact that my dad had gotten to me first.

 

"My baby girl is finally graduating," my Nona said as she wiped her eyes with her tissue.

 

"Gina sop crying woman," my Grandpa laughed. Ever since he reunited with us he's done a lot more of that. We even bought the failing barbershop that was next to the bakery and used the extra space as a dining area for customers to enjoy their pastries and cakes since dad and Grandpa's pastries were that good. Since then we've seemed to pick up more business and even a ton of regular clients.

 

" Oh leave me alone Roland our grand-baby is all grown up," Nona said as she blew her nose.

 

"Just because I'm growing up doesn't mean I'll leave you behind grandma," I said as I hugged her tightly. "I'll always need someone to bring me cookies and take me on the carousel when I'm upset." As I let go of my grandmother I heard another sniffle from behind me.

 

"Dang Marinette you even made your mom cry," Alya teased as my mom rushed over and grabbed onto my waist.

 

"I can't believe you're all grown up now," my mother cried into my shoulder. Even on her tip-toes she only reached my shoulders. 

 

"But I'll always come back home to you all," I said as I hugged her back. I was wiping my own tears again by the time I got out of that hug. 

 

I must have cried quite a bit because as soon as I was free from my family's grasp Alya started touching up my makeup while mumbling how I was "destroying her masterpiece". After 5 minutes of her fixing my hair, makeup and cap and gown I pushed her away laughing.

 

"Okay if we don't leave right now I'm never going to graduate," I said as I laughed at her still trying to fix me up.

 

"Well then what are we waiting for," Uncle Cheng shouted holding his arms up. "To the cars!"

 

As we all walked out to the cars we laughed at his over the top personality and it finally hit me.

 

I'm actually about to graduate university!

 

~*~

 

"Are you sure you have everything Gabriel," my asked mother as we sat in the back of the limo with Natalie and Nino.

 

"Of course I do love,"father responded as he gave my mother a quick kiss. Ever since Ladybug and Chat Noir's final battle with Hawkmoth our last year of college- in which we were able to end Hawkmoth's reign and bring my mother back- those two were always attached at the hip. "Besides, if I ever did forget something I'm sure Natalie would have grabbed it on our way out."

 

"Everything is ready for your speech at the graduation ceremony this evening sir," Natalie responded with a smile of her own.

 

"You ready to finally join the rest of us in adult life bro," Nino asked as he put his phone back in his pocket- probably messaging Alya to see how the girls were getting along. "Only took you an extra 2 years to graduate!"

 

"Well majoring in two different fields in two different colleges certainly isn't easy Nino," I sarcastically threw back at him. "I'd like to see you try to  make is work."

 

"No thanks dude," he said leaning back. "One college is more than enough for me. I don't know how you did it bro."

 

"With a lot of hard work and effort," my mother chimed in. "I can't believe my baby boy's all grown up!"

 

"Oh don't cry mom," I said as I reached across the seat to give her a hug. 

 

"I'm sorry," she apologized before continuing. "It's just weird to see you all grown up and about to take on the world as your own. I just can't wrap my head around the fact that my little boy who used to run around the mansion with his pants on his head is now a grown man."

 

"Mom!"

 

"Do you have a video," Nino asked as he laughed in his seat.

 

"No she doesn't-"

 

"Of course she does." Chloe exclaimed as she finally looked up from her phone.

 

"Why don't we save the embarrassing videos for another day Ms. Bourgeois," father suggested as the limo began to slow down. 

 

"It looks like we're here," Natalie said as Gorilla opened the door to the limo.

 

"It's now or never bro," Nino said as we stepped out.

 

"You've got this Adrikins," Chloe encouraged as she straightened out my gown. "Though I have to wonder," she said before chuckling," how on earth did the son of a world famous fashion designer not be valedictorian?"

 

~*~

 

"And now, ladies and gentleman, our special guest speaker, Gabriel Agreste," the dean announced as Adrien's father stood and made his way to the front to give his speech.

 

"You nervous about your speech," a familiar voiced asked from beside me.

 

"A little bit," I admitted as I brushed a hair behind my ear and turned to face my childhood crush and one  of my best friends. Luckily over the years talking to him had become easier and I wasn't stuttering around like a young school girl anymore. "It's not everyday you give a speech as an honors fashion student."

 

"Or as ESMOD's valedictorian," Adrien stated with a big smile. "I still don't know how you managed to steal the title from me."

 

"It was easy to grab while you were busy being valedictorian of your class when you graduated university with Alya and Nino and you were studying physics. How you understand any of that is beyond me."

 

"Guess you got me there," he said with a laugh before the venue burst into applause. Looking back to the front of the stage I noticed that Mr. Agreste had finished his speech and was now waiting for me to join him at the front with everyone else. "Looks like it's your turn to talk. Knock 'em dead."

 

As I stood from my seat beside Adrien and my professor I could feel the butterflies in my stomach going wild.

 

"Just stick to the notes you wrote on your card Marinette! You've got this," Tikki's voice encouraged from my gown. As I finally got to the podium the applause finally calmed down enough for me to speak.

 

"Graduates of ESMOD's 2019 graduating class, what the heck can I say," I started off. "We finally did it! After several long years we finally get to go out into the world and make other people look better!"

 

Well at least their laughing at my little joke. That's a good sign right?

 

"Ever since I could remember I've always had a passion for creating and designing and now after several years of hard work I finally get to bring my passion to life. After today I go from being a little girl watching videos on his to cross stitch and knit to a woman who can make a suit and dress  for a party in the blink of an eye. Today we finally go from kids with dreams of making it big in the competitive world of fashion, to full grown adults competing with each other for the chance to prove ourselves worthy of the degree we will earn today. I remember my first day at ESMOD I was so scared that I wouldn't make it this far but after many sleepless night and several week days and nights working to finish the final designs: after several years of designing and creating I am proud of the work that I put in because it got me to where I am today. If you had told me on my first day that I would be graduating 6 years later as valedictorian of our class with honors I would have laughed in your face, but as I stand here now all I can say id thank you. Thank you to all of my professors for pushing me to be my very best. Thank you to all of the friends I made here at ESMOD like Julie and Micky who helped me improve in my designs and pushed me to make them better. Thank you to my friends and family who never lost faith in me even when I had lost faith in myself, and for reminding me that I need to take breaks between work so I don't burn out. But most importantly, I want to thank all of our schools administrative staff, for giving me the chance to prove to the world what my Papa's always told me- that once a Dupain- Cheng has set their mind on a goal, nothing in the world will stop then for shooting for the stars and making the universe their own. Thank you everyone and congratulations to the Class of 2019. As cliche as it may be, we actually did it! Thank you."

 

As I folded the paper back up and headed to my seat I let out a deep breath I didn't know I was holding and stood with the other honors students as we lined up to receive our diplomas before the rest of our class.

 

"You did great Marinette." Adrien said as I got into line behind him. "How do you feel?"

 

"Like I'm about to pass out," I said out of breath.

 

"You did great," he repeated. "You ready to graduate?"

 

"Let's do this."

 

"Adrien Agreste, Honors Student," the dean announced and Adrien walked across the stage to shake the dean's hand before shaking his father's after he handed him his diploma. As they posed for their pictures I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned just in time for my friend Julie to wrap her arms around me.

 

"I can't believe we actually did it," she said as we pulled away.

 

"Yeah, we did," I said, still not believing it myself.

 

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, ESMOD's Class of 2019 Valedictorian and top honors student," the dean announced. 

 

As I walked back across the stage it finally hit me that this was it! I was finally making my dream a reality and graduating from the best fashion school in Paris!

 

After shaking the dean's hand and shaking Mr. Agreste's hand before he handed me my diploma we smiled and took our photo together before I walked off the stage and back to a seat in the front row of the graduating class.

 

"It's official now," Adrien said as I sat down beside him.

 

"Yeah it is," I said. "We're finally done with school."

 

He simply laughed at my statement before we turned back to the front and watched as the rest of our class walked the stage.

 

"Students if you will," the dean announced, signalling for all of us to rise to out feet. "Ladies and gentleman I would like to officially present ESMOD's Graduating Class of 2019! Congratulations students and the best of luck to you!"

Quick Note: To see all artwork for this story and upcoming stories please follow my Instagram @ashlynn_montgomery_ao3

**Author's Note:**

> To see all artwork and pictures for this story and upcoming stories please follow my Instagram @ashlynn_montgomery_ao3


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